What does a 'watchdog reset' error usually indicate?

A 'watchdog reset' error usually indicates that the robot controller's main program has failed to execute correctly within a specified time interval, causing the watchdog timer to trigger a system reset. As a safety mechanism, the watchdog timer is designed to detect situations where the control program becomes stuck in a loop, crashes, or is otherwise unable to perform its intended function. The main control program is expected to periodically 'pet' or reset the watchdog timer to signal that it is still running correctly. If the watchdog timer is not reset within the predefined time limit, it assumes that the program has malfunctioned and initiates a reset to bring the robot to a safe state. This can be caused by software bugs, memory corruption, hardware failures, or external factors that interrupt the program's execution. For example, if a robot program enters an infinite loop due to a programming error, the watchdog timer will eventually time out and trigger a reset. A watchdog reset error often signals a need for software debugging, hardware diagnostics, or an investigation into external events that may have caused the program to hang. The key function of a watchdog timer is to prevent uncontrolled or unpredictable behavior of the robot.